Topics

Publisher’s Note

Spring is here and so is our new issue. It’s a packed one, of which we are very proud.

We lead off with John Negroponte, a statesman who has been near the heart of U.S. policymaking for decades. In a wide-ranging conversation, he talked about the future of American power, what worries him the most, and some lessons on leadership from Ronald Reagan.

Bitcoin and the blockchain have been as overhyped as they have been misunderstood. Our board member and eminent economist Nouriel Roubini lucidly deconstructs both. This conversation is a must-read for anyone trying to understand these technologies and the cult behind them.

This issue is a blockbuster of art and literature. America’s most eminent literary critic, Harold Bloom, tells us why Othello remains so powerful. We are thrilled that our board member John Currin has created a new painting of Desdemona to illustrate this interview exclusively for The Octavian Report. We also have Madeline Miller best-selling author (most recently of Circe) and classicist. With a polymathic grasp of Homer and Virgil, she talks about the Circe, Odysseus, Aeneas, and the poems they inhabit.

We spoke with one of the most interesting Democratic Presidential candidates, former Congressman John Delaney, about whether there is room for a moderate in the race. And we caught up with historian Jeffrey Engel, perhaps the leading U.S. expert on impeachment, to ask if Donald Trump’s behavior meets the Founders’ definition of high crimes.

Our emergent rivalry with China continues to be a critical issue. One key piece of China’s strategy is its effort to dominate the world of smart devices. Emily de La Bruyere and Nathan Picarsic explain why this should worry us. Another big tech-based risk is the rise of deepfakes: forged videos indistinguishable from the real thing. Hany Farid, the father of digital forensics, lays out a plan to combat them. And while fighting misinformation is an absolute necessity, so is maintaining an open channel for honest debate. Greg Lukianoff, co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind, makes the case for free speech — and argues that the campus culture stifling it is doing real harm to student mental health.

Finally, we are thrilled to announce that Bernard-Henri Lévy has joined our editorial board. Bernard is one of the world’s great thinkers and we are honored by the affiliation.

Topics

Publisher’s Note

Spring is here and so is our new issue. It’s a packed one, of which we are very proud.

We lead off with John Negroponte, a statesman who has been near the heart of U.S. policymaking for decades. In a wide-ranging conversation, he talked about the future of American power, what worries him the most, and some lessons on leadership from Ronald Reagan.

Bitcoin and the blockchain have been as overhyped as they have been misunderstood. Our board member and eminent economist Nouriel Roubini lucidly deconstructs both. This conversation is a must-read for anyone trying to understand these technologies and the cult behind them.

This issue is a blockbuster of art and literature. America’s most eminent literary critic, Harold Bloom, tells us why Othello remains so powerful. We are thrilled that our board member John Currin has created a new painting of Desdemona to illustrate this interview exclusively for The Octavian Report. We also have Madeline Miller best-selling author (most recently of Circe) and classicist. With a polymathic grasp of Homer and Virgil, she talks about the Circe, Odysseus, Aeneas, and the poems they inhabit.

We spoke with one of the most interesting Democratic Presidential candidates, former Congressman John Delaney, about whether there is room for a moderate in the race. And we caught up with historian Jeffrey Engel, perhaps the leading U.S. expert on impeachment, to ask if Donald Trump’s behavior meets the Founders’ definition of high crimes.

Our emergent rivalry with China continues to be a critical issue. One key piece of China’s strategy is its effort to dominate the world of smart devices. Emily de La Bruyere and Nathan Picarsic explain why this should worry us. Another big tech-based risk is the rise of deepfakes: forged videos indistinguishable from the real thing. Hany Farid, the father of digital forensics, lays out a plan to combat them. And while fighting misinformation is an absolute necessity, so is maintaining an open channel for honest debate. Greg Lukianoff, co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind, makes the case for free speech — and argues that the campus culture stifling it is doing real harm to student mental health.

Finally, we are thrilled to announce that Bernard-Henri Lévy has joined our editorial board. Bernard is one of the world’s great thinkers and we are honored by the affiliation.